CAIRO – 22 October 2021: Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf (Endowment) ordered to reopen toilets at the mosques for only 15 minutes before the time of prayers, after they were closed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Toilets in mosques should be opened 15 minutes before the call to prayer, and then closing them as soon as the prayer ends with the closure of the mosque,” says the decision, which was issued on Wednesday. As for Friday prayers, the ministry added that the toilets will be opened 30 minutes before the first call to prayer, and then to be closed immediately after the end of the prayer with the closure of the mosque. On March 19, 2020, the Awqaf Ministry called on all imams (preachers) to shorten Friday prayers as much as possible. Since then, mosques closed all toilets and abulation areas outside prayers' times.
